~ The blog of author Danielle E. Shipley ~

Open Journal: A Scribble for Auld Lang Syne

Like my “Inspired” main character Annabelle, I used to journal a lot. Before I was a professional writer, I just wrote. Once a day, twice or thrice a day, or all day long, I’d scribble out my daydreams as they happened, or whimper or rage at the latest contributor to my teen angst.

Now I’ve got mid-twenties angst, but only rarely get it down on paper. I’m so busy writing for everyone else – books for publishing, statuses for Facebook, tweets for Twitter, posts for my own blog and others, e-mails… – that I don’t take much time anymore to write just for me.

A snapshot of the last time I sat down for a bit of therapeutic self-writing. 1574, wunnit?

On days like today, I kinda miss it. My brain’s worn out from a storm of social interaction. Until I recover (which I will, sooner or later; I always do, ‘til the next wearying plunge), it’s hard to make myself do anything useful. Even mindlessly scrolling through social media feeds takes it out of me. I’d hate to start reading a new book when I’m too numb to give it fair consideration. Lying down for a nap or plunking down in front of Netflix would feel like a waste of time. I haven’t received any messages saying I need to hurry up and ABC before XYZ deadline. So whaddo I do?

Some long-shushed part of me murmured, Try journaling.

The overindulged part of me that claims productivity as its drug of choice didn’t think that sounded worthwhile enough. So this is the compromise. Writing for me, and posting for the public. An open journal entry. Not a proper blog piece, by Ever On Word’s usual standard; not a post with a point. Just me and words, wandering at our leisure, a little like the olden days.

If this post is well-received by my readers, perchance I’ll make this one of my irregular regular features, like my erratic book reviews and that occasional “hey, here’s a thing somebody else is doing, go see” kind of stuff I do. Come to think of it, the only truly regular feature on here is Will & Allyn’s Interactive Theatre on Saturdays. Go figure.

“As if I’d let you slack on my time,” says Will, snorting a laugh.

Oh, are you going to try to show up during my journal posts, too?

“Only likely,” he says, nodding. “You say ‘free-writing’, I hear ‘free-for-all’. It wouldn’t be at all like me not to snatch at a piece of the spotlight.”

True enough. Whatever. Gosh knows it’s not worth the fight trying to ban you. Heck, anyone in my head is welcome to weigh in as they wish.

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6 thoughts on “Open Journal: A Scribble for Auld Lang Syne”

Journalling keeps me sane. It’s where I play with words and ideas just for the fun of it. For me, there’s something about pen and paper and total privacy that feels right. But that could just be my age. 🙂

write for yourself…journal! It’s important to take time for yourself. Personally my blog is more personal then my journal…and when I take long breaks from it I feel tense. It’s so nice to breathe, you know?

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Me. Hello!

To the lovers of language...
To the ravenous readers...
To those who talk like a thesaurus, not to show off, but simply because they like it and they can...
To you I say, Ever On Word!
~ Danielle E. Shipley
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The “Inspired” Novels

Get ready for a meeting of the muses...

The Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale (Outlaws of Avalon 1)

Welcome to Avalon, a Renaissance Faire where heroes of legend never die...

The Marriage of Allyn-a-Dale (Outlaws of Avalon 2)

A minstrel with a forbidden romance, in need of a little outlaw intervention...

The Legend of Allyn-a-Dale (Outlaws of Avalon 3)

Sherwood's outlaws live on in the future ... but will they survive a return to their past?